The invention relates to protective garments, such as pants and jackets, incorporating an abrasion-resistant fabric. The invention is particularly suited for wear by motorcyclists to protect the wearer from abrasion injuries in the event of an accident. The fabric of the invention is incorporated into conventional denim jeans and jackets to provide stylish, relatively inexpensive protective garments. The fabric is breathable, strong, light weight, fatigue and damage resistant, and thermally stable. Garments incorporating the fabric are launderable using conventional home washers and dryers without diminishing the abrasion-resistant characteristics of the fabric.
The fabric of the invention incorporates a high performance fiber, such as KEVLAR brand aramid manufactured by DuPont, terried on a face side of the fabric and residing adjacent to the shell fabric of the garment. The aramid fibers are thermally stable up to 800 to 900 degrees F., as compared to cotton which starts to decompose at 300 to 400 degrees F. Additionally, these fibers do not melt like nylon or polyester fibers. Thus, while the heat and friction generated when sliding on pavement or other abrasive surface quickly tears away the cotton fabric of the garment, the high performance aramid fibers of the present fabric maintain their structure and effectively disperse the heat as the individual terried fibers ride up, around, and over the abrasive surface. The fabric provides a strong and comfortable protective shield between the abrasive surface and the skin of the wearer to reduce abrasion injuries.
The KEVLAR aramid fibers are five times as strong as steel on a weight basis, but 43% lower in density than fiberglass. The present fabric thus adds little weight to the garment, while substantially increasing its strength and abrasion resistance. The abrasion-resistance of these fibers has been proven in tests on logging trucks in British Columbia. Brakes on these trucks reinforced with KEVLAR lasted 12 times longer than asbestos and three times longer than semi-metallics.